Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly on the verge of appointing Thomas Frank as their new head coach, having reached an agreement with Brentford to release the highly-rated manager. The news comes after Spurs made an official approach to Brentford earlier in the week, following the somewhat surprising dismissal of Ange Postecoglou just 16 days after he secured the club's first major trophy in 17 years, winning the Europa League.
The decision to part ways with Postecoglou was not taken lightly by the Tottenham board, but a disappointing Premier League season, which saw the team finish 17th, losing 22 of their 38 games, ultimately led to the change. Despite the Europa League triumph, the board felt a change of approach was necessary to compete on multiple fronts and build on the club's talented, young squad.
Thomas Frank quickly emerged as the frontrunner to replace Postecoglou, with Tottenham wasting little time in their pursuit of the Danish manager. Talks between the two clubs progressed positively, and a deal was struck, with Tottenham expected to pay Brentford around £10 million in compensation to release Frank from his contract, which was set to run until 2027.
The 51-year-old Frank has been in charge of Brentford since October 2018, guiding the club to the Premier League in 2021 and establishing them as a competitive top-flight team on a relatively small budget. Prior to joining Brentford, Frank had a three-year stint at Brondby and also coached in the youth setup of the Danish national team.
During his time with Brentford, Frank has earned a reputation for his tactical flexibility, his ability to develop players, and his strong leadership skills. He has also built a good relationship with Tottenham's technical director, Johan Lange, who previously worked with Frank at Danish club Lyngby.
One of the first tasks facing Frank at Tottenham will be to sort out the club's recruitment focus for the summer transfer window. Spurs have already fallen behind their rivals in the transfer market due to the managerial change, and Frank will need to quickly assess his squad and identify key areas for improvement. According to Football Manager 2024 simulation, Frank may look to sign Brentford attacking duo Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade, Brighton's Carlos Baleba, Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.
Another pressing issue for Frank will be to address the club's injury problems. Tottenham's season was plagued by injuries, with only Brighton having more individual injuries and days lost to injuries. Frank will need to review the club's medical record and determine whether the injury problems were due to bad luck or the previous manager's game plan.
As Frank prepares to take over at Tottenham, he will be keen to put his own stamp on the team and implement his footballing philosophy. He will also be aware of the high expectations at the club, with fans eager to see Tottenham compete for major trophies and secure a place in the Champions League on a regular basis.
